A native of Savannah, Georgia, the subject established a law firm in San Francisco with his father and brother in 1850 and quickly acquired a fortune. He maintained homes in New York, Savannah, and Newport, R.I., and was recognized as the leader of "the Four Hundred" (a phrase he coined himself), the elite of American society. Like many of his social set, he traveled abroad a great deal, especially to London and Paris, and it was in Paris that he posed for this portrait.

Credit Line:

Gift of Samuel V. Hoffman

Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.